'Memories From the Heart' will entertain while raising money

Attendees at the upcoming Memories From the Heart performance will hear musical selections that “are recognizable to all – from popular and oldies to country and gospel,” according to Midge Rothrock, the publicity chairperson for the Aiken Women’s Heart Board.

Tony Long, Christa Goodwin, Bernice DeLoach, Julie Whitesell and Juli Davis are in the cast of Memories From the Heart.

The group, along with the USC Aiken Theatre Department, will present the mid-year music-only benefit at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 22, and Wednesday, July 23, at the USC Aiken Etherredge Center.

This show is not to be confused with the annual benefit held each February, Rothrock said.

“The mid-year show was such a success last year that we asked the cast to do it again and they said, ‘yes,’ ”said Jim Moore, the director of the annual heart benefit. “The program contains songs selected by individual members of the cast and are songs from past shows which they enjoyed singing. The format will be the same as last year with the great band and cast on stage.”

The 45-member group, founded in 1968 by Eleanor Bookstaver, donates all of the money it raises to the American Heart Association. Over the years, the board has donated more than $1.5 million and has raised more than $125,000 so far this year.

The annual benefit, the group’s main fundraiser, has been written and directed by Moore for more than 35 years.

Rothrock said proceeds from the summer show are divided between the Aiken Women’s Heart Board and scholarships for fine arts students at USC Aiken.

“The show that is coming up is a great opportunity for people to come out and show their support and to hear favorite songs from past shows,” said Teresa Haas, the president of the Aiken Women’s Heart Board.

Juanita Palmer, the house manager for the Etherredge Center, said, “It will be a ‘blast from the past,’ and will bring back memories from one’s childhood and years gone by.”